Gaming How-To

How to Watch the Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct and Nintendo Direct (Sept 8–9)

Two back-to-back Nintendo livestreams run September 8 and 9 at 7 a.m. PT, followed by a Treehouse: Live session.

Two back-to-back Nintendo livestreams run September 8 and 9 at 7 a.m. PT, followed by a Treehouse: Live session.

Nintendo is running two livestreams on consecutive mornings. A special The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct airs first, followed the next day by a general Nintendo Direct focused on Switch 2 games arriving this winter. Both start at the same time, and a Nintendo Treehouse: Live session caps off the second day.

Quick answer: Watch the Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct on Tuesday, September 8 at 7 a.m. PT / 10 a.m. ET (around 30 minutes), then the Nintendo Direct 9.9.2026 on Wednesday, September 9 at 7 a.m. PT / 10 a.m. ET (around 45 minutes) on Nintendo’s YouTube and Twitch channels.

Image credit: Nintendo

Both Direct dates, start times, and runtimes

Each broadcast begins at 7 a.m. PT, but they cover different ground. The Tuesday show is dedicated entirely to the Zelda series’ 40th anniversary. The Wednesday show is a standard Direct centered on Nintendo Switch 2 titles launching this winter.

BroadcastDateStart timeLength
The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary DirectTuesday, Sept 87 a.m. PT / 10 a.m. ET~30 min
Nintendo Direct 9.9.2026Wednesday, Sept 97 a.m. PT / 10 a.m. ET~45 min
Nintendo Treehouse: LiveWednesday, Sept 9After the Direct~110 min

Start times by region

The same start time applies to both mornings, so you can use one set of conversions for September 8 and September 9. In parts of Asia and Oceania, the broadcasts land in the late evening or early hours of the following day.

RegionLocal start time
US Pacific7 a.m. PDT
US Mountain8 a.m. MDT
US Central9 a.m. CDT
US Eastern10 a.m. EDT
UK & Ireland3 p.m. BST
Central Europe4 p.m. CEST
Eastern Europe5 p.m. EEST
Japan11 p.m. JST
Western Australia10 p.m. AWST
Eastern Australia12 a.m. AEST (next day)
Image credit: Nintendo

Where to watch

Both presentations stream on the Nintendo of America YouTube channel and Nintendo’s Twitch channel, with regional variants available in other territories. You can also watch through the Nintendo Today smart-device app. Nintendo’s official listing for both shows is on the Nintendo Direct page.

Tip: If you only care about hands-on footage, the Treehouse: Live session on September 9 follows the Direct and shows gameplay of select titles featured during that broadcast.


What each Direct will cover

Nintendo has described the September 8 show as delivering “a variety of information related to The Legend of Zelda” to mark the series’ 40th anniversary. Beyond that framing and the 30-minute runtime, the company has not confirmed any specific game, remaster, or product for the celebration.

The September 9 Direct has a clearer stated focus. Nintendo says the roughly 45-minute broadcast centers on Nintendo Switch 2 games launching this winter. Splitting the two shows lets the Zelda anniversary programming stand on its own, separate from the winter release lineup.

Speculation has pointed to the previously teased Ocarina of Time remake, a possible first look at the live-action Zelda film, and a rumored Zelda-themed Switch 2. None of that content has been confirmed by Nintendo, so treat it as unverified until the broadcasts air.

Running an anniversary-specific Direct one day before a general showcase is an unusual move for Nintendo, which normally spaces its major broadcasts weeks or months apart. Together, the two shows plus the Treehouse session add up to roughly three hours of programming across September 8 and 9.